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Mississippi Traders Union
In an attempt to reclaim the great Mississippi river for the progeny of mankind, the merchants and traders of the city of West Memphis, Arkansas, banded together to form the Mississippi Traders Union. The 'Muts', as they are called, are the vagabonds of the wasteland, as they get to travel many lenghts of the Mississippi, learning from the tribals and settlements they encounter, sometimes even discovering some neat technology to sell or to keep for themselves. Although they are scattered across the Mississippi, some of them have formed their own groups, sometimes going rogue after a while, to accomplish more difficult goals in a coherent fashion. History Membership Very little is needed to join the MTU. In fact, it's not uncommon that notorious bandits join the Union to start a new life or to simply get their hands on a raft or barge to continue their illegal practices somewhere else. The number of members has never been counted, as it is simply impossible to track down every single merchant on and along the Mississippi. MTU settlements and recruitment sites are scattered across a huge area, but they acknowledge their offices on the Mud Island Peninsula, right between New Memphis and Weshis, as their headquarters and most prominent shipyard. To rise up the hierarchical ladder, one must first show to be able to simply stay alive, and to do some actual trading. On top of that, you must be able to repair your raft or barge, your guns and your radio equipment with salvaged material, in case of a shipwreck. If you are a land trader then you must have a draft animal to pull the cart, and know how to repair it. The MTU's rafts are numerous, but that doesn't mean you get a new one every time you lose one. Since a lot of their rafters don't have the proper expertise, the Union makes sure every important shipment is accompanied by a skilled repairman, or at least someone with the strength to help pull a raft back to the shore and make some fixes. 'Muts' on the Mississippi river come in a wide variety. Most of them are normal, unmutated humans, but they also have a fair share of Ghouls in their midst. These Ghouls never really get any important jobs, nor are they normally accompanied by smoothskins. This is because most officers are afraid the Ghouls will turn feral during a trip, so in case that happens, they make sure none of their rafters are in danger of getting ripped apart. Other mutations have been seen as well, like the Swampers from the Gulf Coast and the Nocturnals from the north. Known splinter factions New Memphis Fleet (or NMF) --- During the construction of the Swamp Wall, the Militia had set its sights on the Mississippi river to gain access to new lands without having to cross the dangerous marshes that occupied a great part of western Tennessee. At first, they tried giving contracts to MTU rafters, but when many of them never returned, being either dead or having stolen the supplies they were given, the Militia decided to make their own branch. After years of adding ships and rafts to their 'fleet', the Militia now still has a surprisingly small number of makeshift vessels, about 4 dozen of them, and only barely enough men and women with the knowledge to handle them properly. The few Militia rafts that patrol the Mississippi around New Memphis are mostly heavily armed, with crews oftenly having itchy trigger-fingers. Their most impressive ship is a floating bus named Blue Sally, which is used as a patrol boat and a way to resupply certain settlements along the river. Johnstontown --- This is more of a village then a real faction, but the rafters and merchants of Johnstontown work together to fend off threats and to make their lives a bit easier. The floating settlement is a collection of barges, rafts, small houses and big plastic barrels, connected with eachother by wooden planks and metal sheets. Marcus Johnston was an MTU captain who got kicked out of the Union when they found out he was selling chems to kids in New Memphis. Although it was unlikely anyone would care if he returned to Memphis, if he'd so choose, he and his crew decided to go elsewhere to continue producing and selling chems. Johnstontown is located roughly 40 miles to the south of Memphis, so it is still possible for Johnston's rafters to get clean water and food from merchants there. Important members Carl Applebottom: This Ghoul is the closest thing to a leader the MTU has. From his home in Weshis, he tries to steer activity, and his charisma has, more then once, helped to gain much needed allies. Because he is very old, he doesn't travel himself, but instead has a couple of literate helpers which he sends out with messages and orders for the captains under his command. Activities & Interests The MTU is known for it's wide variety of goods. The stock of an MTU merchant, be it on a boat or in a cart, mostly contains weapons, food, clean water, crafting materials, tools, furs, Pre-War trinkets and other miscellaneous objects. What the MTU wants, is being able to live among and trade with other people in a peaceful way, and helping those who strive to colonize the ruins along the Mississippi by providing them with the tools and supplies to accomplish their goals. What the MTU does not want, is getting involved in a fight. Most rafters are pacifists, and have sworn off the use of violence against other humans, unless under threat. The Union's rafters enjoy their freedom, and many go far and wide to explore Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana. Beloved activities of MTU merchants is the organisation of Cockatrice fights and Warthog races, the production of chems, for sale or own use, and the distillation of alcoholic drinks like Bourbon, Whiskey, brandy and rum. Hunting Mudcats is also considered to be fun by the more rugged rafters on the Mississippi, as losing a limb or your life is never too far away when facing a Mudcat. Relationships *﻿New Memphis, due to the fact there are people to trade to, recruits, and investors the M.T.U. will always give disscounts to the people of New Memphis *The Rock, largely the same as New Memphis, they pick up sodas to sell down the Mississippi river. *Matewan, The M.T.U. wants to establish coal trade with them in exchange for Warthogs. Category:Groups